Just A Game
by TheElejahDiaries
Summary: After Elijah, believing Elena to be dead, flees Mystic Falls to begin another life elsewhere, Elena awakes to find him gone. They both go on with their lives without the other until Elijah receives word that Kol has been killed at the hands of none other than Jeremy Gilbert.
1. Tears I Must Conceal

**Just A Game**

**Summary:** After Elijah, believing Elena to be dead, flees Mystic Falls to begin another life elsewhere, Elena awakes to find him gone. They both go on with their lives without the other, until Elijah receives word that Kol has been killed at the hands of none other than Jeremy Gilbert.

**Rating:** T

**Time Period: **3x22 through season 4

**Pairings: **Elena x Elijah

**Image Credit: **Olivia (thecunningcock on tumblr) made this absolutely gorgeous graphic for me!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own The Vampire Diaries, its characters, or any of the music from which I derive inspiration. All rights go to Julie Plec, L.J. Smith, and the respective artists and their labels.

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Tears I Must Conceal**

_I don't know where I am_

_I don't know this place_

_Don't recognize anybody_

_Just the same old empty face_

_See, these people, they lie_

_And I don't know_

_Who to believe _

_Anymore_

_~ Just A Game – Birdy_

"Elijah," came a voice from behind him and to the left. It sounded cloudy, far away. "Elijah," it said again. The fog in his mind lifted slightly, but his legs buckled beneath him. The world swayed, becoming more and more vertical until he felt a pair of delicate arms catch him. His surroundings dimmed as he was lowered to the ground, and he saw blonde hair from the corner of his eye. Something stirred within him. This was _her _fault.

He sat up, pulling himself out of her grasp. He stood and, taking care to brush off his suit before raising his eyes to his sister's, felt a swell of emotion. He couldn't discern all the different feelings sweeping through him; it was all happening so fast.

He should have told her how he felt when he had the chance. A chance that he hadn't thought would have been so fleeting, so brief. His world without this girl, this one human girl, was darker than it had ever been. He had loved her, loved her deeply and truly. And it had all been taken away by an impulsive decision by his sister.

He looked at Rebekah's face, colored with fear, grief, and vengeance. It was a mixture he saw all too often. When she was afraid, when she was sad, she would seek revenge. And sometimes there was honor in revenge, but when she took it to such extremes, there was never a good outcome. And now, here he was, facing her. He wasn't even disappointed. There was no room for disappointment in addition to what he was already feeling. He wasn't Niklaus, though. He wouldn't dagger her. He would let her suffer, knowing what she did to him. Maybe she would even feel remorse, because he knew that he wouldn't be able to stand seeing her face for years, maybe decades. There were times when he could tell that she knew about his love for the brunette girl. How could she not when he spent his first months in Mystic Falls making deals to protect her? And yet, she had still murdered her. Of course, there wasn't a lack of motivation for doing so, but murder was beyond unnecessary. He didn't even know how she did it. He had just heard the words and the whole world had swayed.

"Elijah, I'm so –" she began, but he cut her off.

"Don't lie," he spat at her. "I know you're happy she's dead. You're glad you killed her." His voice was deadly and quiet. It was the calm before the storm.

"I'm not lying, Elijah. I never wanted to hurt you," she insisted, emotion evident in her voice.

"You had _no right, _Rebekah! _NO RIGHT! She was an INNOCENT!_" Elijah screamed, fists clenched.

Tears began falling from Rebekah's eyes, rolling down her cheeks and leaving tracks. "I know I shouldn't have –"

"_Shouldn't have?_ Do you even realize what you've done?" Elijah laughed incredulously. At the same time he did so, his lip quivered and a strangled sob cut through the silence. After a moment of attempting to compose himself, he spoke again. "I am _not _your brother," he breathed, his voice nothing more than a whisper, "and you are _not _my sister." He turned and ghosted out of the woods, with nothing but an _"Elijah!" _echoing behind him.

* * *

The moment that Elijah turned and fled Mystic Falls was the moment that Elena sat up, gasping for air. Immediately, Stefan and Matt surrounded her, and her eyes flicked wildly between them. She had no idea what had happened to her – her mind was fuzzy and her thoughts choppy and irrational. She remembered earlier in the evening, when the eldest Mikaelson had paid a visit. Despite her initial shock, she had been glad to see him, had enjoyed their negotiations. They had made some sort of deal – one she couldn't quite remember. And now, here she was, lying on the grass at the foot of Wickery Bridge, wet and freezing, with Stefan and Matt looking at her with pitying eyes. She closed her eyes again and everything went black.

* * *

"No," Damon choked out, "you are not dead!" He held Alaric's lifeless body in his arms, and tears rolled down his cheeks. The look of panic on Alaric's face told Damon exactly what had happened. There was no hope for Alaric. Even worse was that there was no hope for the girl he loved. She was gone. This was worse than when he had thought Katherine dead. He _had _loved her, it was true, but he hadn't felt a fraction with Katherine of what he felt now for Elena. Elena, who would never live again.

* * *

"Jeremy," came a soft, deep voice from behind the young man. Jeremy turned to see Alaric standing in the doorway.

"Haven't you done enough?" he asked angrily. "And how did you even get in here?" He had to constantly remind himself that this Alaric wasn't the Ric he used to know. He was an evil killing machine. There was a pause until Alaric spoke again.

"I don't know. I just wanted to say goodbye, and it kind of happened," Ric replied sadly.

Jeremy's eyes narrowed for a moment before widening with sudden realization. "Ric?" he asked incredulously. After all, this wasn't possible.

Ric smiled and moved forward. "I just want you to know that I'll always be here to look after you, Jeremy. That you'll never be alone. Okay? I promise."

"I don't understand. . .," Jeremy breathed.

Ric gave a slight, knowing nod, and Jeremy pieced it all together. "Oh my god, you're a ghost!" Then panic set in. "If you're here, that means. . ."

All Ric had to do was give a sad smile and Jeremy knew that it was real, that this was happening. His sister was dead.

* * *

After locating his car in a confused, emotional haze, Elijah got in, and with nothing but the clothes on his back, he left Mystic Falls behind in a cloud of dust. He needed to leave. He should never have come back. In doing so, he had only given himself permission to see her again. Seeing her face had only strengthened the feelings he had for her. It had been unwise. But perhaps it was good that he'd come back, in some sick, twisted way. He had gotten to see her, talk with her before she'd . . . died. He couldn't even think the word without some hesitation.

Damn Rebekah, with her unquenchable thirst for vengeance. Normally, Elijah would have been above holding someone else at fault, but this was clearly done at Rebekah's hand. It was an unnecessary reaction to something that was out of their control. Of course, he mourned the loss of his brother, but he hadn't gone out and murdered one of the Salvatores. No, he had grieved with his sister until she had fled, leaving him to only guess where she had gone.

When she had come back and delivered the news of Elena's death, the whole world had seemed to fall down around him. Every moment he'd spent with her, every injustice he'd committed against her, everything was an added weight on his shoulders, and there were moments when he wasn't sure he could stand the feeling any longer. This was different that Tatia, than Katerina. He had loved them both, but neither of them were like Elena. Elena was a kind, compassionate, good-hearted young woman. She never acted in her own self-interest, always finding ways to save those she loved, even if it meant sacrificing herself. It was the Salvatores that had ruined her. When he had offered her the elixir that would save her life during the sacrifice, the eldest brother had had to step in and force his blood down her throat. Though Elijah's solution had been much more simple, Damon hadn't been wise enough to trust him. Of course, the Salvatores had no idea as to Elijah's feelings for the young woman. There was no way he would have let her die. She was already, even at that time, much too precious to him. . .

He needed to stop thinking about it, about _her. _It would drive him mad. Instead, he tried to focus on the road in front of him. Concentrating much harder than necessary on the act of driving, he found himself in New York City by mid-morning. Even though he had been concentrating, it was only natural to him to pay no mind to the speed limit signs. When he hit the traffic from residents of the bustling city traveling to work, he was jolted out of his intense concentration. When he realized where he was, there was a moment of confusion, and one of revelation. He had given his mind a break the entire way to New York, but now that he was out of his stupor, everything came rushing back, and this time, it was sinking in.

Quickly, he found a hotel, checked in, and went straight to his room, earning suspicious looks for his lack of luggage. Ignoring the questioning glances he received, he slid his key into the slot and his door unlocked. He pushed it open and slid inside, shutting the door right behind him. He made his way to the bed in the next room and, without even taking care to take off his suit jacket, laid down and drifted off into a restless, nightmare-filled sleep.

* * *

Elena woke in her bed, warm and dry, and sunlight was streaming in through the open windows. The first thing she registered was that she was not alone. She could feel the distinct presence of others in her room, but the sun was so blinding that she couldn't open her eyes far enough to see.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice still riddled with sleep. As soon as she spoke, the shades were drawn and she could finally see. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness, but it was much more comfortable than the blinding sunlight. "Stefan?" she asked, but no one came forward. Once her eyes had adjusted, she saw Stefan sitting on her window seat, face turned downward. Damon was beside him, standing against the wall looking angrier than she had ever seen him. "What's happening?" she asked again.

"Why don't you ask Saint Stefan over here and his sidekick Boy Wonder?" Damon spat.

Who was Damon referring to? And suddenly Elena realized. "Where's Matt? Is he okay?"

"Matt's fine." This time it was Stefan who spoke. His voice was nothing more than a whisper, and he sounded exhausted.

"Then what's the problem?" Elena asked in confusion.

Damon took a step forward. "_Stefan saved Matt._" He put heavy emphasis on each word, watching Elena to see whether or not he would have to actually spell it out.

"I . . . Stefan saved Matt, not me." It wasn't a question. She was simply stating a fact as the actuality of what had happened began to crash down upon her. "Why am I not dead?" she asked in a small voice, though she already knew the answer.

"Doctor –"

"Fell," Elena whispered, finishing Damon's sentence. "She gave me blood to heal me. Oh my god. . ." She pulled her knees to her chest and began to sob.

"Elena, I'm –"

She cut Stefan off. "Please, just go. Both of you."

Damon piped up right away. "I'll be damned if I'm leaving you alone. You either feed or you die, Elena. There's no way around it."

Through her tears, Elena shook her head insistently. "I never wanted this. I never wanted to be a vampire."

Stefan put his face in his hands. "Elena," he said through his fingers, "I am _so _sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Stefan. You did what I asked. You respected my decision."

"A decision that wouldn't have been necessary if I would have been there!" Damon hissed.

"Exactly!" cried Elena, tears streaming down her face. "If you had been there, Matt would've died because you can't let me make my own decisions!"

"And you wouldn't be a vampire!"

The entire room went silent until Elena whispered, "I want you both to leave."

When Damon showed signs of argument, she turned her head away from him. "Go. I'm done."

Damon stormed out of the room and Elena heard him in the kitchen, no doubt washing dishes or scrubbing something. Stefan didn't leave right away, hoping that Elena might talk to him, but she continued staring at the opposite wall with her chin on her knees, crying silently. Eventually, he got up and left, standing in the doorway for just a moment longer than normal. He then shut the door behind him and Elena curled up into a ball under her covers and cried.

* * *

**A/N: **So that's chapter one! I really love reviews/feedback, so if you could tell me what you thought, that would be great! I tried to keep everyone in character as well as possible. I'm really excited about this fic!


	2. Finally I'm Forced to Face the Truth

**A/N: **Thanks for the positive response, guys! It really means a lot. A lot of you said that you felt Elijah's behavior was slightly OOC, and I understand. What I wanted to do was get inside his head and expose the part of him that we haven't previously seen. We haven't had a chance to really see him dealing with such a massive amount of grief other than when Bekah told him Klaus died and when he found out Esther's intentions. Elijah is usually so calm and collected, and I think - or hope, rather - that I've portrayed that on the outside. But on the inside, I believe he'd be crumbling and desperately trying not to show it. What can I say? I'm masochistic when it comes to this ship. _WRITE ALL THE ANGST!_

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Finally I'm Forced to Face the Truth**

_Dreams_

_That's where I have to go_

_To see your beautiful face anymore_

_I stare at a picture of you_

_And listen to the radio_

_~ Not Over You – Gavin Degraw_

Elijah stared out the window of his eighteenth story apartment, watching the cars that looked so tiny stop and go in the congested New York City streets. The sky was overcast, and every so often, a raindrop would hit his window. Each drop was like a stake through his heart, a brief onslaught of pain that shook him to the core. It had been two months to the day that he'd left Mystic Falls, and not a single hour had gone by that he hadn't thought of her. Vaguely he wondered what the Salvatore brothers were doing, and whether or not they had gotten over the loss of Elena. Of course, they had no idea that Elijah was mourning her. They probably had no idea he even knew that she had passed.

He was trying to move on with his life, slowly trying to forget her. It was, by and large, one of the most difficult tasks he'd ever set about doing. In his determination to make things return to normal, he realized that things would never _be _normal. He was a vampire, an Original. His mother and father had made him one. How was anything about that normal? He, along with his siblings, three of whom were now gone – an older sibling he'd never known, Henrik, and now Finn. Each death had desensitized him, made him numb. But this one, Elena, had reawakened every bit of grief he'd ever felt. It wasn't that he put her above his family – no, it was family above all, always and forever. But she had been so special to him. She had challenged him in a way he hadn't been challenged before. Sure, his sister and brothers had tried his patience more often than not, but Elena had been different. She had made him a better person, had held him to his word. She had reminded him of how beautiful humanity could be.

Now that Elena was gone, Elijah was slowly slipping away from the outside world. He tended to lock himself away for the entire day, only leaving his apartment during the night. He rarely fed, and when he did, he felt a slight twinge of guilt. His nature was, at its most basic level, the same as his sister's. His sister, who murdered in cold blood, took lives without thought. His love for her, a love he never thought would have left, was waning. Whenever he thought about what she had done, he grew more and more angry with her. His guilt was also associated with his constant what-ifs. What if he had stopped Rebekah? He tried to tell himself that he had no clue what she was doing, which was entirely true. She had come to tell him the news and they had mourned their brother's passing. Then, suddenly, she had left. Elijah had assumed that she had gone back to their home. But when she had come back and told him that Elena was no more, everything had come crashing down.

Elijah knew that things would eventually return to their natural order, but until then, he was content to hide out in New York City where he could disappear.

* * *

Elena had finally made it through her transition. She blamed Stefan for nothing. In fact, she respected him for honoring her decision to save Matt rather than herself. She and Damon had grown closer over the past months as well. Elena had broken up with Stefan and she and Damon had slowly become more and more involved with each other. He had helped her through her inability to drink animal and refrigerated blood. They had discovered that she could only feed straight from the vein. They didn't understand why, but Damon had figured it out sooner than she. He always seemed to have the answers.

Even though her relationship with Damon was going well, she felt some sort of longing deep inside her. What the longing was for, she didn't know, but she wanted to find out. There was something missing, something she couldn't put her finger on. Everything was going well in Mystic Falls until one night when Damon approached her. The look on his face told her there was something seriously wrong before he even spoke.

"Damon," she said in confusion, "what's wrong? What can I do?"

He laughed at the irony of it all. Elena noticed his slight chuckle had a twinge of sadness to it.

"There's something I have to tell you, and you're not going to like it," said Damon, barely managing to look her in the eye.

"Damon, you can tell me anything," Elena said quietly, fearing what she was about to hear.

Damon took a deep breath and, instead of beating around the bush, he just came out and said it. "You're sired to me."

There was complete silence in the Salvatore living room for nearly half a minute. "I'm _sired _to you," Elena repeated incredulously.

Damon nodded. "None of the feelings you have for me are real."

Elena shook her head. "Damon, that's not true." There was a hint of uncertainty to her voice, but she remained solid in her denial.

"No, Elena, it is. You may have feelings for me, but they're because of the sire bond. I can't . . .," Damon faltered. "I can't hold you back, Elena. After I release you from the sire bond, if those feelings are still there, that's great. That's _amazing. _But I don't believe your heart really belongs to me. I want you to be free to live your life however you choose. I'd be selfish to keep you here with me. Whether or not you still have feelings for me doesn't matter."

"Damon," Elena whispered, her eyes watering.

Damon's voice took on a commanding tone. "I want you to live your life, Elena. I want you to love who you want to love. Go out, see the world. You are no longer sired to me."

A single name popped into Elena's head after Damon finished speaking. The name was one she had been longing for all along. Elijah.

* * *

**A/N: **So this chapter was a bit shorter, but it was kind of just a build-up to important stuff! Please review and let me know what you thought! A huge thank you, once again, to Olivia (thecunningcock) for making the gorgeous graphic for this fic! Love you all,

-Taylor


	3. Those Days Are Gone

**A/N: **Sorry for how long it took me to update! I've been in a slump lately. I'm just to the point where I don't give a crap about school anymore – I just want to graduate. My birthday was the 22nd of February and it really sank in that my grandma wasn't going to be there. She passed away on January 10 after a long battle with breast cancer. Everyone is missing her dearly.

Not that I'm making excuses, and I'm sure you all understand, but I don't like to keep you waiting, so here's chapter 3!

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Those Days Are Gone**

_If I could wake my crooked heart_

_If I was there right from the start_

_To feel what it was like to be turned on_

_If you could fly the battling wind_

_To miss the mark correct within_

_If your wish came true, your dreams made real_

_Running for cover, running to hide_

_~ Running for Cover – Ivan & Alyosha_

The longing feelings Elena had been having since she became a vampire were finally explained, though she was entirely uncertain about what to do with them. She couldn't very well go looking for Elijah. She was still only months old and she doubted her ability to behave herself without the careful guidance of the Salvatores. Damon had distanced himself, but he still wanted the best for Elena, and that entailed helping her become a better vampire. Stefan, on the other hand, still felt it necessary to apologize every few days for causing this. No matter how many times she'd explained that it wasn't his fault, it never sank in. She began getting used to his attitude, which was that of a martyr. While it had the tendency to become annoying, she understood that he meant well. Both of them had resigned themselves to the fact that Elena would not be pursuing a romantic relationship with either of them. Elena was rather shocked at how quickly they agreed to respect her wishes. Perhaps they were finally realizing that she was her own person capable of making decisions for herself. It was a welcome change. Yet none of these changes were enough to fill the gap that was Elijah.

She found it strange that she had never realized her true feelings before, but looking back, she could remember the feeling of being around Elijah. Her stomach would always flip. Back then, in the very beginning, it had been fear. Once she had grown to understand him a bit better, she realized that the fear had morphed into respect and admiration. She'd never met a man with so many morals before – ones that were kept. Even when he'd betrayed her, she didn't hold him at fault. How could she when he'd left her that letter, when he'd done it to protect his family? Elena, soon after her release from the sire bond, had recovered the letter from inside the cover of one of her favorite books and memorized it, memorized the way the pen he'd held flowed along the paper. She had never showed it to anyone else, not even Jeremy. She wasn't even sure Jeremy would have approved of hers and Elijah's relationship – if ever there was one.

Jeremy. There was another situation in and of itself. Her brother was now a hunter who had just gotten over the urge to kill his own sister. Every once and a while, everything would become too much and Elena would break down. She'd lost everyone else. She couldn't stand to lose her brother. Even if he was a hunter, she would still love him. At least he was still alive. She had to look on the bright side. If she didn't . . .

She couldn't think about that now. Next on her never-ending list of problems was Kol Mikaelson. He needed to be taken out. She couldn't bear to think about what the news of his brother's death would do to Elijah, so she didn't. Right now, she had to focus on those closest to her: Jeremy and her friends. Kol was a threat to them all, and she couldn't keep risking their lives. Something had to be done.

Bonnie burst through the door, breathing heavily. Her eyes were wide with terror as she explained to Elena what had just happened to her. Kol had tried attacking her in the school after a lesson with Shane, but she'd been able to get away by using expression.

"We have to kill him," Elena said solemnly. She didn't relish in taking another's life, evil or otherwise.

"Elena," Bonnie began, but was cut off.

"No, Bonnie, we can't keep living like this! Kol has to be taken care of, and I have the perfect plan."

Bonnie nodded and listened to Elena's scheme. She had to admit, it wasn't bad. What was important was that it worked, and work it would.

* * *

Bonnie had left and Elena took Jeremy's phone, dialing Kol's number.

"Jeremy Gilbert!" Kol exclaimed upon answering. "Nice to know I'm still on your speed dial, mate. Hey, you want to meet up at the batting cages in Denver?"

"Actually," Elena said shakily, "it's Elena Gilbert."

There was a pause before Kol spoke. "What a treat. Actually, I was just thinking of all the clever ways I could have your brother killed. But I'd settle for ripping off his illustrated arm instead."

Elena cringed at the thought, but she was doing what she had to do. "I need to talk to you . . . in person. I wanna call a truce . . . in the name of Silas.

Another pause. "You wanna talk about Silas."

Elena wasted no time. "I'll meet you wherever you want. I'll come to you."

"Tell you what," said Kol, his tone suddenly upbeat, "how about I come to you?"

Elena spun around and Jeremy cocked his gun as the doorbell rang.

"You want a truce?" Kol said from the other side of the closed front door. "Open the door and invite me in. Elena spun wildly, trying to decide what to do next. "I'm waiting," came Kol's irritated voice through the phone. "Let me in and let's talk truce. Hello!"

Elena grabbed a chalkboard memo off the wall and began scrawling a message. "Wouldn't I be kind of stupid to invite you in?"

"On the contrary, I can't kill your brother with my own two hands, or I'll suffer the Hunter's Curse. I'll spend the next twenty years trying to off myself in gruesome ways." As Kol was speaking, Elena held up her message to Matt: Help Stefan find dagger. "And I've heard vervain's back in town, so I can't compel you to kill him either." Matt rushed out the back door, heeding Elena's request. "So I think it's safe to say your family's safe. For now." Elena held up a new message for Jeremy: Get out. Get Bonnie.

Jeremy's brow furrowed. "I'm the only one who can invite him in!" he whispered.

"You're right, obviously," Kol answered through the phone.

Elena sighed, knowing Kol was right. Jeremy looked to the door with a look of determination. Elena hung up the phone and moved to the door, opening it to reveal Kol standing on the front porch, earbuds in his ears as he blasted a rock song.

A sly smile crept over his face. "You'd think being alive for over a thousand years would teach me some manners. But," he said, fake disappointment coloring his voice, "I couldn't resist stopping by."

Elena ignored his comments. "If I let you in, my brother goes." Her terms were simple, and there was no way Kol was going to talk her out of them. "You're not getting near him."

Kol eyed Jeremy who was aiming a rifle directly at him. "Fair enough."

Elena looked to Jeremy and nodded. "You can come in," he breathed, still holding the rifle at the ready. Kol smiled as Jeremy slipped out the back door.

"They give gold medals for bravery, I see," he said sarcastically. "You know, the thing I love about modern technology is music anytime you like." He took out his earbuds and slipped his phone into his pocket, revealing the white oak dagger tucked inside his jacket. He cleared his throat. "So, this is the part where you offer me a drink so we can have a proper chat."

* * *

After discussing Silas, the cure, a truce, and much stalling, Kol said he would consider the terms of Elena's truce, telling her he'd be back later. Jeremy arrived home soon after, and Elena briefed him on what had happened.

Elena moved to open the door after hearing a knock, surprised to see Kol.

"I've considered your request for a truce," he said. "Request denied."

Elena slammed the door in his face, leaving him standing out on the porch. His expression darkened. "I'm sorry!" he shouted. "I've already been _invited in!_" He kicked open the door, nearly knocking it off its hinges. "Hide and seek?" he called. "Fine by me."

He charged through the house, searching for the Gilberts. He pulled out his phone and called Klaus, asking if he knew anything of their plan. Just before Klaus could answer, Elena, feet firmly planted on the landing between the first and second floor, shot Kol through the leg with a wooden arrow. She ghosted back up the stairs as Kol yanked the arrow from his thigh. He hurried up the stairs behind her, reaching her bedroom door just and she pushed her dresser up against it. They were both trying to force the door opposite ways, and Kol eventually won out. Elena fell to the ground, but escaped swiftly to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Kol kicked it open, and upon finding another empty room, he charged forward, punching a hole through Jeremy's bedroom door. Both Elena and Jeremy shot wooden stakes at him, which he caught with ease.

"Missed," he growled.

Elena shot again and again before bringing him to his knees. "Go!" she shouted and Jeremy rushed for the stairs.

Kol lunged forward, staking Elena's thigh and grabbing Jeremy. He took him by the neck and threw him down the stairs while Elena pulled the stake from her leg and jumped on Kol's back. Kol threw her up against the wall and plunged a stake through her abdomen, pinning her to the wall.

"Now," Kol said calmly, looking down at Jeremy, who was still writhing in pain on the stairs, "about that arm."

Elena wasn't sure if she would be able to free herself as Kol dragged Jeremy to the kitchen. Mustering all the energy she could, she attempted to push herself away from the wall.

In the kitchen, Kol grabbed a knife, brandishing it affectionately. "Now, like I said, I don't fancy the Hunter's Curse, so I'm just gonna chop off your arm." He had Jeremy tied down on the kitchen island, all his limbs restrained. "But don't worry, I'll heal you right up with a bit of blood after." He held Jeremy's head down with one hand, lining up the knife with his other. "Sorry about the sting." He backed away in confusion as Jeremy breathed heavily on the island. "Wait, which arm was it? Is it left or right?" He shrugged. "I'll just chop them both off to be safe."

As he brought his arm down, Elena flew into the room and wrestled the knife from him. Jeremy freed himself and Elena held Kol against the counter, both of them struggling with the other. Jeremy got the sink, grabbing the nozzle and spraying Kol with the vervain-laced water. As Kol's skin burned, Elena grabbed the dagger from his jacket.

"Jeremy, now!" she cried, tossing the dagger to her brother.

Jeremy ran forward and plunged the stake into Kol's heart. The guttural scream he uttered was terrifying, and Elena realized what she had done. She had been a a main part in killing Elijah's brother. She shook the idea from her head. She couldn't let her defenses down now.

Immediately, Kol began to burn, flames engulfing his entire body. Jeremy and Elena backed away, looks of horror on their faces. Kol fell to the ground, his skin now ashen. Elena watched as Jeremy looked up, blanching. Elena followed his gaze to the wide open door.

Klaus was standing there, pure rage coloring his expression. His hands were balled into fists at his sides as he looked from Elena to Jeremy to his now dead brother lying on the ground. Klaus was gone in a split second, and Jeremy and Elena were left to await his rage.

* * *

Back at the mansion, Klaus, still filled with rage and grief, pulled out his phone and dialed the number he knew so well.

"Hello?" came the voice on the other end.

"They killed him, Elijah. Kol is dead," Klaus said in a monotone voice.

"Who?" Elijah asked, alarm in his voice.

"Jeremy and Elena Gilbert."


	4. Put On Your Warpaint

**A/N: **Again, it's taken me far too long to update again, but you're all probably used to it by now! I'm going to try posting more sneak peeks on my tumblr (elejahmikaelson), so follow me if you're interested. I also have two fics in the works, but I'm really trying to hold off on that until I'm finished or close to it on this fic. One is an AU/AH Elejah fic and the other is Finn x OC! Enjoy chapter four, and let me know what you think!

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Put On Your Warpaint**

_Hey, young blood_

_Doesn't it feel like our time is running out_

_I'm gonna change you like a remix_

_Then I'll raise you like a phoenix_

_Wearing our vintage misery_

_No, I think it looked a little better on me_

_~The Phoenix – Fall Out Boy_

"What kind of game are you playing?" Elijah snarled. His brother, who knew his loyalty to their family, was telling him that Kol was dead at the hands of _Elena?_ Elijah had known Klaus was cruel, but he had not, apparently, believed he was capable of such things as this.

"It's not a game, Elijah," Klaus insisted. Elijah could hear a swelling of emotion in his brother's voice. Klaus was telling the truth.

Elijah sank down into the oversized armchair near him. The flames in the fireplace reflected off the leather of the chair. They cast ethereal shadows upon the eldest Mikaelson's face, bringing out the few lines he had developed when he was still human – when things were simpler. Even then, perhaps, things weren't exactly simple. He had lost two siblings, only one of which he had known, and his father was nothing short of abusive. But even then, he had still had most of his family. They had still vowed to stick together as one. Now, it was every man for himself. That's why Elijah had left in the first place – that, and a certain brunette who had tugged on his heartstrings. Now she was an instrumental part of his brother's murder.

Vaguely, Elijah wondered if the madness would ever end. Was he doomed to watch those he loved die? Was that his payment for living the span of time? The rest of his family was immortal – they were supposed to be together forever, and they were dropping like flies. Despite what others thought about him, Elijah was a family man, through and through. He would do anything for his family, including lay down his life for them.

"Tell me what happened, Niklaus," Elijah deadpanned.

Klaus ran through what he understood to have happened. While he didn't know the entire story, he knew that Kol was determined to kill Jeremy. Somehow, though, that detail just happened to slip his mind. Klaus told Elijah that their brothers was dead because of a cruel, unprovoked attack by the Gilbert siblings. Elijah had a bit of difficulty believing that Elena and her brother could be so cold-hearted, but Klaus had him convinced.

"Are you still here, Elijah?" Klaus asked after the line had been silent for an abnormal amount of time.

"I'll be there by morning," was Elijah's brisk response.

Elijah threw his necessary belongings into a suitcase that he always had accessible for just such occasions as this. As he packed, he became less sad and more angry. Elijah had always been the rational, level-headed one, but the fact that the woman he'd cared so deeply about – the woman he'd believed to be _dead! - _had killed his brother was making him irate. He knew he should probably just sit down and think through this, but Elijah was a family man through and through. Finn's death had hurt him just as much as Kol's, but at the same time, Finn was trying to kill the rest of his siblings. Kol was different. Elijah had always looked out for him. He'd been the troublemaker, the mischievous one. And now he was dead. Elijah tossed his suitcase into the backseat of his car and drove off into the night, headed for Mystic Falls.

* * *

Back at the Gilbert house, Elena and Jeremy were fretting over what to do with Kol's charred remains.

"Should we give him to Klaus?" Jeremy suggested, at a loss.

"We can't do that, Jer. That would just make him angrier."

"Well, what do we do?" Jeremy asked.

"I don't know!" Elena cried, rubbing her forehead with the palm of her hand. "I can't deal with this tonight, Jeremy. We'll call Stefan and Damon in the morning. They'll know what to do."

Jeremy nodded, and the two siblings headed up to bed, unaware of what was coming for them in the morning.

* * *

Elijah arrived in Mystic Falls at shortly after five in the morning, and he went straight to the Gilbert household. He listened outside the door for any sign of activity, and upon hearing none, he forced the door open almost silently. He was immediately greeted by the sight of his brother's body lying on the kitchen floor, burnt and decayed.

"Kol," Elijah whispered, feeling as though all the air had gone out of him.

He moved through the house and knelt next to his brother. He pulled the white oak stake from Kol's chest and tucked in his inner jacket pocket. He took a minute longer to take in his brother's body before scooping him up and gently placing him in the backseat of his car. He got into the car himself, knowing he'd be back at the Gilbert house soon enough. First, he had other business to attend to.

Elijah pulled into the driveway of the Mikaelson mansion and parked, hating that he had to bring his brother home in such a way. He got Kol out of the backseat and brought him into the house, where Klaus was pacing in front of the fireplace. He looked up only when Elijah laid Kol's body down on the sofa.

"Niklaus," Elijah said in solemn greeting. Neither brother could bear to look at their recently deceased sibling. Both of them were too drained, too angry.

"'Lijah," Klaus nodded.

After several minutes of uncomfortable silence, Elijah stood. "I'll be back later."

He got back into his vehicle and headed back to the Gilbert house, where he would wait.

* * *

**A/N: **Again, I want to apologize to you lovely people. I've made you wait for over a month for this story. I appreciate the reviews asking me when I'm going to update - I really do. They let me know that you're still interested.

Honestly, I've been having a very hard time in my personal life lately, and haven't felt like writing in ages. Nevertheless, here's your update, and I hope I can being updating more regularly!

Let me know what you thought about the chapter!


End file.
